A spectrometer is a device capable of separating an input light source into its constituent spectral components and separately measuring the intensity of each such component. Spectrometers can be further classified by the nature of their dispersive element, which can be a prism or diffraction grating. In addition, if the entire dispersed spectrum is measured simultaneously by means of a photographic plate or detector array it is described as a spectrograph, and if each spectral component is presented separately to a single detector it is commonly known as a monochromator.
The following discloses the use of Morse Taper mounted optical components which, when incorporated into the design of a grating spectrograph, greatly facilitates component alignment and stability and increases ease of manufacture. An appreciation of the advantages these features represent when compared with previous designs can be derived from consideration of the following drawings and description of the invention.